(Mat Barrett/northeastNOW Staff)

By Cam Lee

Kelvingon liquor store

Liquor store in Kelvington purchased by Prairie North Co-op

Nov 26, 2019 | 11:03 AM

The liquor store in Kelvington is changing hands.

The store was purchased by Prairie North Co-op, and will officially change ownership Dec. 4.

Prairie North Co-op General Manager Terry Tremblay told northeastNOW the acquisition follows the opening of Co-op liquor stores in Spalding and St. Brieux over the past year.

“We’re really excited to bring that team, that store into the Prairie North umbrella,” said Tremblay.

Tremblay said customers will notice few changes during the transition, with all of the current employees coming into the Prairie North fold.

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“We as a Co-op have some really good employee benefit programs and that, that they’ll be able to be a part of,” Tremblay said.

The sale of the store also gives the residents of Kelvington and area an opportunity for additional products at the liquor store.

“We have some actually neat Co-op specific products that we’ll be able to carry,” said Tremblay. “Co-op lines of beer and wine, and even some Co-op hard liquor that are now available to us to buy and sell.”

He said the liquor store will also be complemented by other existing Co-op departments, including seasonal, hardware, and more.

“Every place Co-ops have been getting into the liquor business has really been good for the community and good for the Co-op,” said Tremblay.

The liquor store will stay in its current location, at least for the foreseeable future. He said there are some efficiencies in the long-term if liquor is able to be incorporated into an existing business, such as sharing the cashier system and longer store hours.

The Prairie North Co-op sees a strategic opportunity in adding liquor in any community in which they are already doing business, Tremblay said, adding it’s another chance to add value to the community and return profits back to Prairie North members.

A retail liquor store permit auction is closing Dec. 6 for several communities, including Melfort.

Tremblay said they have interest in developing a liquor presence in the city.

“We see the liquor business as an opportunity in Melfort in our future,” said Tremblay. “To say whether that happens or not I guess is premature, but we’re considering all opportunities in liquor and other commodities.”

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cam.lee@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @camlee1974